Always
by SapphireCuatro
Summary: Haru has always been there as Rin's protector. Now, it's Rin's turn to protect Haru. Oneshot.


This is my first Fruits Basket fic. Please be kind...

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"**H**aru!" Rin cried, "Haru?" 

There was a twitch of movement. A groan escaped slightly parted lips. His eyes opened slightly, and he gave her a small smile. His fingers weakly closed around hers. 

"Haru", Rin managed to breathe. She could feel tears sliding down her cheeks. Relief pressed against her, knowing that he was still living and breathing. But worry pressed against her even harder, as she noted his shallow breathing, his weak grip, the face white as a sheet. But worse than that, the spreading bloodstain on his chest. 

"Rin", said Haru quietly. He tried to lift a hand to stroke her cheek, but didn't have the strength to make it all the way, so Rin helped him along. 

"Don't worry, Haru", said Rin, still crying rivers, but speaking with a voice that was remarkably calm, "Don't worry. An ambulance is on the way. You'll be all right." 

_They'd been out together. They'd been dating openly for a while now, no longer bound by the chains of the curse. They relished in each other's company, cherishing their blissful young love…_

_Until Rin yelped, as she felt someone grab her ass. _

_She hid behind Haru, feeling violated. Haru, of course, was instantly on the case. _

"_What the hell do you think you're doing, feeling up my girlfriend?" _

Rin could hear sirens. "Do you hear that, Haru? They're coming. They're on the way. They're help you." 

"Rin", he croaked, "Don't…worry Rin. I…won't die. Then…you would…be lonely." 

"Why are you worrying about that now, you fool?" She was still sobbing. "Haru…you're a fool. You always were." 

_Rin's instincts had been honed to a high level of danger-detection…and she could sense Black Haru on the verge of coming out. _

"_Just let it go, Haru…come on…forget about it…" _

"_Rin, what are you saying? You don't just go grabbing a woman's ass…and definitely not the ass of my girlfriend! Are you just going to let this creep disrespect you like that?" _

"_Haru…" _

"_What kind of boyfriend talks to his girlfriend like that?" asked the Perpetrator. _

_If Rin would have kept him from going Black, any chance of that was long gone now. "You shut the hell up, you bastard! I'll show you what happens to bastards who bother Rin!" He grabbed the front of the Perpetrator's shirt. His fist was pulled back…_

"_Haru, don't!" she cried. _

"Are you going to be all right, miss?" It was the restaurant owner. 

"Yes. Just leave us alone." 

"The ambulance is here. The police, too." 

"Yes. Ok." 

_Haru's fist connected with the man's face, and the Perpetrator stumbled backwards a few feet. _

"_You bastard!" he snarled, and pulled a gun. Haru stopped in surprise, and it seemed as if he had gone White again. Rin stood there, petrified. _

"Are you family?" the medical personnel asked. 

"I'm his girlfriend", she replied. Although, technically, she was family, too…

"I'm sorry, I think only family should---" 

"Please! Let me ride with him to the…hospital." She shuddered inwardly. That bitter word still burned like acid as it rolled off her tongue. As much as she hated to admit it, Haru needed to be taken to that place…and she would be by his side, and he had always been by hers. 

_The gun was aimed at her. She flinched and squeezed her eyes shut, as she heard it fire. _

_So…wait…hold on…where was the pain? The blood? _

_She heard someone fall to the floor. Someone who wasn't her. She opened her eyes. _

_Her lips trembled as she gazed at the shooting victim, shell-shocked. "H…HARU!" _

She rapped freshly painted nails on her bare legs. The heels of her boots clicked on the floor as she tapped her feet. Doctors, nurses, patients, normal people, all passed by her, paying her no attention. 

She began to feel nauseous. These people…this place…she couldn't stand it! 

She leaped to her feet and started rapidly towards the door, hugging herself. The doors to the outside loomed ahead. This place…a _hospital_…death and pain were hanging in the air. She could feel it. They were pressing down on her like an oppressive weight. 

She loathed the weakness of her body, the weakness which made her feel as though she would collapse and every bone would snap from the weight of all this pain and suffering. Her stomach felt queasy. 

No! She wasn't going to throw up! And definitely not here…she'd be hauled off to a hospital room herself! Maybe she and Haru could even have hospital rooms next to each other. Then they would be boyfriend and girlfriend, in the hospital, together…how cute…

NOT. 

What was wrong with her? She needed to get a grip! She was left to fend for herself, and she fell to pieces. How pathetic! She couldn't stand it! 

God, why was she so pathetic? Was this really the strength of her love for Haru? For years, he had been by her side…protecting her…loving her…supporting her when she couldn't stand on her own. And yet, she couldn't do the same for him? She'd always relied on him. She'd always needed him. Now…this time…he needed _her_. This, now, was a chance to repay her debt. Haru needed her. 

There was no way she could back down now! If she did, she'd have no right to face him ever again! 

Her stomach was settling down. The burden didn't feel so heavy to bear anymore. Sure, this was a hospital…but why should she care? She wasn't the patient. Haru was here, in pain, and she was here, to be by his side. It wasn't anything significant. It wasn't any way to completely repay her debt to him. But…at least…she'd be there. She'd comfort him. She'd always be there. She'd keep him from getting lonely. 

It wasn't much, but it was something. 

She went and sat back down on the bench. 

_Rin wasn't sure what came over her. At first, she was stunned, seeing Haru shot, on the floor. Then, as her brain began to comprehend what had happened, an irrationality came over her. _

_The Perpetrator was pointing the gun from person-to-person, to keep anyone from calling for help. While he was not paying any particular attention to her, she leapt on top of him with everything she had. They both crashed to the ground. _

"Isuzu?" 

Huh? Something clicked in her mind as she heard someone speak her given name. 

It was Kazuma. He came and sat down on the bench next to her. 

"What're _you_ doing here?" she asked. 

"The hospital called the Sohmas. I got word that you were there too, Isuzu. Are you all right?" 

"…I'm fine." Rin now noticed the people around her for the first time. How could she have been so deep in thought that she didn't hear Kazuma sneak up on her like that? Was he the only one was here? Or had that space cadet Tohru come, too? It wouldn't surprise Isuzu if she did. That girl was always worrying. 

"Hatsuharu's parents are here, too, visiting. I'm surprised you're not up there, Isuzu." 

"I…I didn't know he'd been stabilized. No one told me anything." 

"Do you want to go up and visit him?" 

"…I…I would rather wait until his parents leave." She knew that Haru's parents weren't hers, but still…it made her uneasy…

_She wasn't even herself. She wasn't even thinking. She just knew that this man had hurt Haru…and that was unacceptable. Haru was her protector, and she was Haru's. _

_She mananged to knock the gun away, but she couldn't pin the Perpetrator for long. Even the fury of her rage couldn't quite make up for a disadvantage in physical strength. _

_But the spell of fear over the restaurant's other patrons had been broken, and they were now on the move. _

Rin had to wait a long time before Haru's parents finally left, and by then, visiting hours were nearly over. 

She and Kazuma went in together. As much as she hated to admit it, Kazuma was an almost comforting presence. But that could have just been because she was living with him, and being around him so much made her feel more at ease. Well, and that she had to cook meals now (although Kunimitsu helped sometimes), as it hadn't taken her long to figure out that you shouldn't let Kazuma near a stove. 

She'd cooked for Haru, sometimes, too, when he came over. He and Kazuma and Kunimitsu had told her she was a good cook, but she never actually ate her own cooking. She was very particular…and she wouldn't eat in front of them anyway. Well, except for Haru. 

Haru…he was laying in bed. When she saw the IV, she nearly hurled. Seeing that attached to his arm, seeing him lying there, so weak…Haru! 

She was at his side in an instant, holding one of his hands in both of hers. "Haru…?" 

His face looked drawn and tired, but he smiled at her presence. "Rin…" 

"Don't talk", she said, "You'll just tire yourself out." 

Kazuma pulled up a chair for her to sit down in. "How are you feeling, Hatsuharu?" 

"I'll…be all right", he said, "It just…kind of hurts right now." 

"I don't doubt it." 

"Um…" said Rin awkwardly. 

"Right. Of course. But I can only give you two a few minutes alone. Don't forget, Isuzu, that visiting hours are almost over." 

"I know." 

Kazuma left the two of them alone. 

"Rin, I…I should have listened to you…I should never have gone black in front of you…it's just, I couldn't let that guy shame you like that…I'm sorry." 

Rin clenched her hands around his. She could feel her eyes becoming moist. No! She wouldn't cry! 

"I already told you…Haru…why are you saying sorry? You have nothing to apologize for…fool." 

"Heh heh…but as long as I'm always _your_ fool, I'll be happy." 

Rin managed a tiny half-smile. "We'll be fools together." 

"That makes me happy. Rin…heh…I'm learning more about you all the time…the way you knocked that guy out cold…I didn't know you had it in you." 

She kissed one of his fingers. "Didn't I already tell you not to talk?" 

"Oh. Sorry." 

"You don't need to talk, Haru", she told him, "I'll do the talking. And you don't need to worry. I'll visit you all the time. So please don't feel…um…lonely when I have to leave, because I'll be back first thing tomorrow, and every day." 

"I'll be looking forward to it, Rin. Tonight…I won't feel lonely because I know you're coming tomorrow." 

Kazuma poked his head in. "Isuzu…" 

Rin kissed Haru's finger again. "I'll be back tomorrow. I promise. I'll always be there when you need me." 

She stood and went to join Kazuma. When she was in the doorway, she heard Haru say, "Bye." 

She was in a hospital. Haru was a patient in a hospital. Rin couldn't explain it, but she didn't feel bad anymore. Haru had always been there for her, and she would always be there for him. She would be his protector and his supporter. 

Always. 

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Well, I hope you liked my first attempt. :-)


End file.
